Tangentially, I remember getting a brainwave one day about modems for the TRS-80. Back then there was the Modem-I, which was a 300-baud modem that had a hidden hardware mod you could do to boost it to 450-baud (some disassembly required).
In the early days, even if you had an expansion interface, you had to buy an RS-232 board so you could effectively use your modem. If you didn't buy an RS-232 board, you could "ineffectively" use your modem (i.e. sluggish, dropped characters) by using "Cassette Com" which was essentially a software RS-232.
I still have my source code of the program I wrote -- it was called "Cassette Host," and allowed remote callers to get the I/O directed to them, directed to the local screen/keyboard, or simultaneously to both. It was really groovy, and was perfect for creating BBS and other remote enabled application software. All designed, of course, for those of us who couldn't afford the RS-232 board (or even the expansion interface in the case of a lot of people).
Just as I put the finishing touches on the project, the Model III was released, with the integrated expansion interface & RS-232 board. GROWL. I moved on. But that program was so choice at the time.
My old DEC LA-34 printing terminal had a 75|110|300 baud switch on it, so it could scale up to the full speed of its acoustic coupler.
I really miss that LA-34. There was nothing like the sound of the words "crunching" across the page. And when you hit the return/enter key, it made an audible thwack and the carriage would RETURN damn it. Ka-chunk.
I remember the old projects where we used to print different patterns of text to the terminals (and line printers) to get them to "sing." This worked particularly well on line & drum printers.
(That reminds me of another project where we vibrated the heads of the floppy disk drives on Apple ][+ computers to make them sing, quite successfully, but usually to the detriment of future functionality;)
I recall quite fondly my TRS-80 days (although it was a Model I); Loading and saving programs via cassette tape, those little stars winking. Programming in assembler; The first blocky graphics. Back when people had to use their imagination rather than lull people with graphics.
I remember transmitting a program to someone over the phone line by holding up the output of my tape recorder to the mic on the phone, and his holding the mic of his tape recorder to the earpiece of his phone... a primitive modem of sorts. It took a few tries to get it going, but we eventually got it transmitted with no line errors!
With some sadness I had to part with my TRS-80 Model I parts recently. It follows the trend of parting with my Data General Nova, and my PDP-8 (built into a metal desk with four 8" floppy drives).
While I defected into the land of the Apple ][+ around those days, I never lost my taste for the TRS-80, back when men were men and we hand assembled and disassembled for fun. Sure, we did it too on the 6502, but damn we had easy access to DISK drives of all things, with those apples. Where's the fun in that?
I've got some great TRS-80 emulators, so good that it just wasn't worth keeping the original hardware. There's a TRS-80 in the Smithsonian, so I can always visit if I get nostalgic.
Having seen Final Fantasy today, two showings in a row -- first "analog" then DLP ("digital"), I would strongly recommend you see this film in DLP mode.
While there were minor pixelation issues from the DLP projection (mostly in extra large fonts with diagonals), there was (to my eye) a dramatic difference in quality between the analog and the DLP projection, with DLP providing an astonishing level of extra detail and richness.
I saw Final Fantasy in Canada; If you don't have DLP where you live, I suggest you move. =P
Does anyone have any good sources for downtime costs? I am wondering exactly what it is costing e-commerce companies, banks, governments etc. while they are down and recovering their data/systems.
Also, anyone have any links to some good horror stories (e.g. systems penetrated and companies lost millions or threw in the towel and never got back on their feet again, etc.)
I wonder how much of the dollar value threat is mitigated by the use of these kinds of facilities? Any insurance people out there? If we're now starting to treat the operating system (or web server environment) one is running as a factor in business insurance, how does the secureness or redundancy factor (e.g. in an installation like this) theoretically affect the insurance industry?
How would an I.T. manager or company exec justify a move to such a facility? It has to be more than the "cool" factor.
Slashdot Mirror
Cool, but I bet she'd kick your ass if you tried to locate it.
I've always thought Callisto was more interesting than Xena and Gabrielle. When I met Hudson in person, there was real angst behind those eyes.
Tangentially, I remember getting a brainwave one day about modems for the TRS-80. Back then there was the Modem-I, which was a 300-baud modem that had a hidden hardware mod you could do to boost it to 450-baud (some disassembly required).
In the early days, even if you had an expansion interface, you had to buy an RS-232 board so you could effectively use your modem. If you didn't buy an RS-232 board, you could "ineffectively" use your modem (i.e. sluggish, dropped characters) by using "Cassette Com" which was essentially a software RS-232.
I still have my source code of the program I wrote -- it was called "Cassette Host," and allowed remote callers to get the I/O directed to them, directed to the local screen/keyboard, or simultaneously to both. It was really groovy, and was perfect for creating BBS and other remote enabled application software. All designed, of course, for those of us who couldn't afford the RS-232 board (or even the expansion interface in the case of a lot of people).
Just as I put the finishing touches on the project, the Model III was released, with the integrated expansion interface & RS-232 board. GROWL. I moved on. But that program was so choice at the time.
"Missed it by *that* much."
My old DEC LA-34 printing terminal had a 75|110|300 baud switch on it, so it could scale up to the full speed of its acoustic coupler.
I really miss that LA-34. There was nothing like the sound of the words "crunching" across the page. And when you hit the return/enter key, it made an audible thwack and the carriage would RETURN damn it. Ka-chunk.
I remember the old projects where we used to print different patterns of text to the terminals (and line printers) to get them to "sing." This worked particularly well on line & drum printers.
(That reminds me of another project where we vibrated the heads of the floppy disk drives on Apple ][+ computers to make them sing, quite successfully, but usually to the detriment of future functionality ;)
I recall quite fondly my TRS-80 days (although it was a Model I); Loading and saving programs via cassette tape, those little stars winking. Programming in assembler; The first blocky graphics. Back when people had to use their imagination rather than lull people with graphics.
I remember transmitting a program to someone over the phone line by holding up the output of my tape recorder to the mic on the phone, and his holding the mic of his tape recorder to the earpiece of his phone... a primitive modem of sorts. It took a few tries to get it going, but we eventually got it transmitted with no line errors!
With some sadness I had to part with my TRS-80 Model I parts recently. It follows the trend of parting with my Data General Nova, and my PDP-8 (built into a metal desk with four 8" floppy drives).
While I defected into the land of the Apple ][+ around those days, I never lost my taste for the TRS-80, back when men were men and we hand assembled and disassembled for fun. Sure, we did it too on the 6502, but damn we had easy access to DISK drives of all things, with those apples. Where's the fun in that?
I've got some great TRS-80 emulators, so good that it just wasn't worth keeping the original hardware. There's a TRS-80 in the Smithsonian, so I can always visit if I get nostalgic.
READY
>
Perhaps you could run a Windows emulator under Linux and then install it? ;)
Arrgh. Mirror anyone? ;)
Transfer rate went from acceptable to about 1KB/sec mid-download; Slashdotted?
From linuxda, let me quote the obvious: "The first Linux compatible O/S scaled down for..."
Linux Compatible? As opposed to a flavor of Linux?
(Yes, I did see the words "Using the open-source Linux kernel..."), but it does lead to some interesting speculation.
(Also parenthetically, regarding GNU/Linux vs. Linux kernel, is the kernel specifically non-GPL? Does that have bearing in this case?)
Having seen Final Fantasy today, two showings in a row -- first "analog" then DLP ("digital"), I would strongly recommend you see this film in DLP mode.
While there were minor pixelation issues from the DLP projection (mostly in extra large fonts with diagonals), there was (to my eye) a dramatic difference in quality between the analog and the DLP projection, with DLP providing an astonishing level of extra detail and richness.
I saw Final Fantasy in Canada; If you don't have DLP where you live, I suggest you move. =P
After seeing this message I've concluded you're an alien reading my mind!
;)
Hmm DNA profile linked to your credit card profile... cross referenced against future thought-crimes.
Maybe CNN meant NSA not NASA?
So you're the other person who read it!
I haven't seen it in bookstores in years. Just like my copy of the Necronomicon which mysteriously vanished. I'm sure that's unrelated.
Does anyone have any good sources for downtime costs? I am wondering exactly what it is costing e-commerce companies, banks, governments etc. while they are down and recovering their data/systems.
Also, anyone have any links to some good horror stories (e.g. systems penetrated and companies lost millions or threw in the towel and never got back on their feet again, etc.)
I wonder how much of the dollar value threat is mitigated by the use of these kinds of facilities? Any insurance people out there? If we're now starting to treat the operating system (or web server environment) one is running as a factor in business insurance, how does the secureness or redundancy factor (e.g. in an installation like this) theoretically affect the insurance industry?
How would an I.T. manager or company exec justify a move to such a facility? It has to be more than the "cool" factor.